A Little Push
by SamanthaMalfoy9712
Summary: Oneshot. Arianna Jade Malfoy has made a little trip into the past to help her parents along, with just a little push. DHr.


**Disclaimer:**I do not own anything, everything belongs to J.K. Rowling, the genius.Well, I guess I own Arianna. But nothing else.Good enough?

**AN:** I got thislittle plot bunny about a week ago and it's been jumping around in my head ever since. Hope you like it. I'm happy with this one.

**A Little Push**

"Damn it all to hell!" seventeen-year-old Hermione Granger swore, under her breath of course, as she stomped down a fifth floor corridor. At least, she thought she was on the fifth floor. After six and a half years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hermione could not believe it, but she was lost.

It all began about six months earlier, on August the first, when Hermione received her yearly Hogwarts letter and booklist. This year, however, Hermione had been expecting something else in the extra-thick, yellow parchment envelope. She had not been disappointed. When Hermione opened her letter, out fell her very own Head Girl badge. Of course, Hermione had been ecstatic. Head Girl was a position that she had strived for since entering Hogwarts when she was eleven. She immediately owled her best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, and upon receiving their replies, she discovered that neither of them would be filling the coveted Head Boy position in the fall, and Hermione's joy had dimmed just slightly – she had thought that Harry was a shoe-in for sure – but no matter, she had thought, surely a Ravenclaw would obtain the honour and that would make her life in September a bit easier. Oh, how wrong she was.

It wasn't until September first, already changed into her school robes, with her new badge prominently on display, and entering the Head's Compartment on the Hogwarts Express for the first time did Hermione come to realize the hell that would be her seventh year. For, inside the Head's Compartment was the last person in the world she expected to see wearing a badge just like hers – even if he had come second to her in every class save Potions, which he had topped her in every year, much to her chagrin. There stood the one and only, infamous, Draco Malfoy.

It had been this revelation that had ultimately led to Hermione's being lost at 12:00 on a Saturday night in some random Hogwarts corridor, but also that which led to a twist of fate that would forever change her life.

"Oh, Draco Malfoy, when I find you I swear I'll hex your balls off, you slimy, sneaky, loathsome, little ferret-faced git!" Hermione screamed into the deserted corridor. Other than a few paintings, Hermione was sure no one could hear her. The night had started off normal enough; Hermione and Draco had begun their patrols at 10:00, per usual, and had even gone an entire hour without bickering. Then, as they reached the Astronomy Tower the two Heads had come upon a couple fully engrossed in a heated snog, once again, not an abnormal occurrence by any means. However, when the identity of said couple had been revealed, Malfoy had flown off the handle. And, rightfully so; the sight of Pansy Parkinson with her arms and legs wrapped around Harry Potter and her lips firmly locked on his could send any Slytherin, or Gryffindor for that matter, into a bit of a fit; especially when Pansy was the best friend of said Slytherin, and Harry was his worst enemy. Hermione of course, would have reacted in a very similar manner, and had, five months earlier when she had discovered their relationship to begin with, which had begun hesitantly at the beginning of the year after Harry's defeat of Voldemort the year before; however that's a story saved for a different time.

After Draco screamed bloody murder at Pansy for disgracing her house and threatening to hex Potter three ways from Sunday for even so much as going near his best friend, Draco turned around and stalked away down the corridor and out of sight. Hermione had sighed, proceeded to take five points from both of their houses and told Harry and Pansy to find a broom closet on the first or second floor – where she'd already patrolled. Then Hermione went off in search of Draco – by damn if she was patrolling for an hour on her own.

However, that is just what Hermione had ended up doing. And walking alone down corridor after deserted corridor, all of them looking the same could have a negative effect on a person. Hermione had been walking in a daze for what seemed like hours, when she realized she had no idea where she was. And this leads us to the beginning of our story.

As Hermione was imagining all the ways she could curse Draco Malfoy for skiving off hiss Head duties and allowing her to get completely lost, she didn't see a girl about her age mutter "Finally!" and start to walk up to Hermione.

When Hermione finally noticed her, she was shocked for three reasons: one, being that it was after curfew and this girl was calmly walking toward, not trying to hide from, the Head Girl; two, the girl had to be in sixth or seventh year and Hermione had never seen her in her life, yet; three, the girl looked strangely familiar, resembling someone Hermione knew, but couldn't place.

"Hello there," Hermione said, when the girl finally reached her, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'm not entirely sure who you are. What's your name?"

The girl smiled. "Arianna." Hermione looked the girl over. She was rather pretty, with soft features, amber eyes, pale skin, and wavy shoulder-length white-blonde hair. _'She almost looks like a Malfoy with that hair and that complexion,'_ Hermione thought to herself.

"Arianna," Hermione repeated, "that's a pretty name. What house are you in?"

"Why, Slytherin of course."

Hermione's smile faded completely off her face. "Well, that would explain why I didn't recognize you then. Ten points from Slytherin, and back to your dorm before I make it twenty."

Arianna was shocked. Her mother had warned her that this would happen. She'd also told her exactly what to say to Hermione when it did.

"Mu-er-Hermione, wait! Please let me explain. You may not know me, but I sure know you. I've known you my whole life. You're Head Girl along with Draco Malfoy as Head Boy. You're in Gryffindor, your birthday is September 19, you middle name is Anne, after your grandmother on your mum's side, and your parents are Richard and Emily Granger. Now, I know that anyone could know most of that stuff, but I know things that just anyone couldn't possibly know. You've already decided what you'll do after Hogwarts; you want to be a Healer. That's something that you've told absolutely no one. After seeing Harry and Ron hurt so many times, and only have them live because Madam Pomfrey is such a wonderful healer, you want to be able to do that too. You still fear for Harry's life, even though Voldemort has been defeated, you secretly had a crush on Ron in fifth and sixth year, but now you've got your eye on someone else. Someone you know could never return your feelings, someone dangerous, and sinister, and just a bit evil. You know who I'm talking about. Oh, and you just caught Harry and Pansy, and you think she'll be good for him, even if you do hate Slytherins. That feeling will change, I promise."

Arianna stood there with a smug little smirk on her face, so reminiscent of Draco that Hermione almost asked her about it, but she was too shocked, and simply stood there with her mouth hanging wide open.

"How – how could you possibly know all that?"

Arianna smiled again._ 'Here goes nothing,' _she thought. "Because I'm your daughter."

Hermione's mouth fell open once more. "Impossible," she said. But even as she said it, her brain was processing the possibility. She realized the reason Arianna looked so familiar was because the girl looked so much like herself. Her soft features, her eyes, the curls in her hair, her petite body, the air with which she carried herself. She was like a copy of Hermione with distinct mistakes. Her skin, her hair colour, and the way she spoke were someone else. And Hermione felt her stomach drop as she realized who they were.

Arianna must have read her expression for she smiled. "I know you are the most brilliant witch to enter Hogwarts in your time – something I'm slowly taking away from you might I add – and you know I'm telling the truth. If I'm not mistaken you've also realized who my dad is. Everyone says I'm the perfect blend of you and him. But, mum, as hard as I know it is to take this in, I promise I'm here for a reason."

_'No!'_ Hermione's brain screamed at her. _'No! He can't be her father; wait, I can't be her mother. It's much too insane.' _But when Hermione heard that little three-letter word fall from this girl's mouth she knew; _'I _am_ her mum' _

Hermione collected her thoughts and finally spoke. "Why? I mean, I can hardly believe it, but I know it's true. What are you doing here?"

"You sent me. Apparently, you and dad needed a little push and I'm the one who gave it to you."

"Oh dear. You aren't going to try and convince Draco are you? He'll never believe you. I can hardly believe he'd so much a touch me."

"He loves you mum. You're both so much in love in the future. I just hope James and I are like that," she added dreamily.

"I find that very hard to believe. Draco Malfoy probably isn't even capable of love. And who's James? Wait, I don't want to know, it could mess with the future."

"Let's just go find dad. I'll handle him." And without waiting for a response, Arianna led Hermione all the way back to the portrait to the Heads' Dorm.

"Password, mum."

"Oh, right. Seeker."

The portrait opened and Arianna gaped at Hermione.

"What? It was Malfoy's month to change it."

Hermione entered the common room to find Malfoy brooding on the couch in front of the fireplace. Arianna stood back in the shadows and watched her seventeen-year-old mother lay into her seventeen-year-old father in the exact same way she did even twenty years later.

"Malfoy I'm going to kill you!" Hermione screamed, causing Draco to look up and realize she had come back. "How dare you just stalk off and leave me to patrol the rest of the damn school by myself? God, it's not even that big of a deal, Harry and Pansy, I've known for months and you don't see me flying off the handle."

"Shut up Granger. I don't care about the opinion of a filthy little mudblood such as yourself."

Both of the girls in the room gasped. Luckily at the same time, and Malfoy only heard Hermione. She was shocked; he hadn't called her mudblood since fifth year.  
"Listen Malfoy. I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear that since you are obviously transferring your anger onto me. But don't _ever_ call me that filthy name again. Trust me, I'm not afraid to hex your tongue off if you do. Of course, I could always hex away other body parts if that doesn't suit you." Hermione distinctly glanced downward, and as she looked back up she could have sworn she saw Draco gulp.

"I'm going to have a bath and then I'm going to bed. Arianna," she called into the shadows by the entrance, "he's all yours."

Draco looked to where Hermione had spoken. "Who the hell is Arianna?"

"I am," she said as she stepped out of the shadows at the same time Hermione closed and locked the bathroom door.

Draco looked up to see a beautiful girl who looked eerily familiar and seemed to have some Malfoy blood running through her veins. "Do I know you?" Draco asked, entranced by this strange girl who had invaded his common room.

Arianna smiled. "Not really. Not yet anyway. But I know you." Arianna's mother had told her to do the same thing to Draco as she had done to Hermione, so she did.

"You're Head Boy, an honour you never thought you would possess, because of your house, and your parents. You're in Slytherin, like all Malfoys are, but what you've told no one is that the Sorting Hat almost put you in Gryffindor. Your birthday is June fifth, your parents are Lucius and Narcissa, and you father is in Azkaban where your mother rarely visits him. She loved him you see, but he never really returned the sentiment. Currently she is infatuated with Professor Snape, and you know something will come of it. I assure you it will. Something else you've told no one is that you've always seen Snape as a father, more of a father than Lucius ever was. You want to follow in his footsteps and become Potions Master here at Hogwarts, or at least to become as skilled in Potions as he is and to work in the Ministry. It will depend on where your life takes you. The thing you are most afraid of is that you'll never fall in love, never be capable of loving another, or of finding someone who is capable of loving you. You do have your eye on someone though; you don't think she'd ever return your feelings; she's smart, and funny, and too damn brave for her own good, but she's got an evil streak to her too; not as despicably evil as your own, but she's got a wickedness about her that you never thought quite possible. But, alas, she's not someone your family would ever approve of. You know that I'm right so trust me on this, Gr-er-Narcissa will come around, and you've never cared what Lucius thought. Go for it. Oh, and one more thing; if Pansy is really your best friend, like you know she is, then you know deep down in your tiny, frozen heart that she deserves happiness, even if it is with someone like Harry. You know you want to support her, so stop brooding and just do it already."

Draco was staring at the girl who had on her face the exact smirk he wore on his own almost all the time. "How the bloody hell do you know all that?"

"She's good isn't she?" Hermione called from near the bathroom. She was clad in only a towel and had obviously just finished her bath. "I'm going to my room now. Hear the girl out, Draco, I'm sure you'll love to hear what she has to say." With that Hermione winked at Arianna and strode into her room before once again closing and locking the door.

Draco looked at this strange girl. "Well?"

"I really don't think I should tell you that right now. But, since you don't know anything about me how 'bout I tell you? Hmm?"

Draco pondered this. "You had better bloody well tell me what's going on."

"I will. In a moment. So, about me. Hmm… I'm in Slytherin, much to my mum's chagrin. My dad was real proud when I told him. I'm in seventh year. I'm Head Girl, and I play seeker, just like my dad. My mum says I fly just like him. Apparently I kind of look like him too. My hair, just the colour, and my complexion come straight from my dad. My wit too, I've got a bit of a malicious streak that could have never have come from my mum. I speak like him, just the way a Mal-er-umm how he says I should. But the rest of me is all mum. I've got her softness, and her brains, and her eyes, and everyone says I'm just like her. I walk like her, I carry myself like her, I study like her, much to my dad's disappointment. But it got me Head Girl so he got over it. I adore my father to pieces, and have him wrapped around my finger. But it's just cause he loves me so much. And if I can grow up to be half the witch my mother is, I know I'll have accomplished enough in my life. I look up to her, I admire her, and I love her. I love you both. And that's the only reason I'm here. Now, I know you're brilliant, so you had to have figured it out by now. And the look in your eyes is telling me you don't believe me at all. Just think about it dad, you'll know I'm for real."

"Not a bloody icicles chance in hell."

Adrianna laughed. "You say that all the time. Like just this past summer when I asked you for a new broom so that we could wipe the pitch with Gryffindor's ass for the fifth time in a row. Two days later I had my very own Firebolt 3000."

"Five years in a row?"

"Ever since I became seeker. I told you, I fly just like you."

"Arianna, I can't possibly believe this."

"I know, but it's true. You are capable of love, dad, you show it to mum, and me, and Nicholas and Cadence every day. You're the best dad ever. But if I don't convince you to take mum to the Valentine's Day Ball next week, Nick and Caddy and I may never exist. You've got to believe me. Please." Arianna was practically in tears now. For some reason this made Draco feel something he'd never felt before and he didn't know why, but before he knew it he had his arms around this girl who claimed to be his daughter as she cried into his shoulder.

When Arianna had quieted down and pulled back to sit beside him on the couch, Draco finally heard the noises that had been coming from Hermione's room; or more precisely, right outside Hermione's room. He looked up and found the girl he'd had a crush on for six months standing in her doorway, clad in and pink tank-top, and pajama pants sniffling quietly to herself with tears running down her face. Before he could do a thing, Arianna was up off the couch and up the stairs and had thrown her arms around her mother.

"Oh mum, it's ok. Don't cry. He believed me."

Hermione smiled down at the girl. "I know, sweetie, I know. Now, how about you tell me how it is exactly that you got here so you can go back to your time before you change anything drastic?"

"Well mum, er, you I guess, said that the spell she cast to send me here would only last for three hours. I've already used up most of my time because I spent an hour waiting for you to come down that damn corridor. Honestly, could you have taken any longer?"

Hermione smiled. "Well I guess this is it then, huh?"

Arianna smiled right back at her. "Almost. But you'll see me again in about twenty years! Just make sure you name me right. I rather like being Arianna Jade Malfoy. Oh and promise me you'll go to the Ball together?" She grabbed Hermione's hand and led her down to sit on the couch beside Draco. They both looked at each other, and then back at their daughter, something they both could hardly wrap their heads around, and nodded.

"Oh good. I'd have hated to come here for nothing. You know, you both haven't changed all that much. I knew you were my parents right away." She was crying now, and she bent down to hug her father and kiss him on the cheek and then repeat the process with her mum.

"I love you both so much. It's kind of cool to see what you were like when you were my age. It's hard though, because I'm used to seeing you so much in love, and here you can barely stand the sight of each other. I hope you realize that you do love each other, and that I end up existing, because it would kind of suck not to. Have a good life, and have fun at the Ball. Oh, and dad, before I forget, you told me to tell you something. Whoa, that sounded weird huh? Ok, oh gosh what was it. Oh I remember now, you are capable of love. You know deep in you heart you have it in you, and you just have to find the right person to bring it out. She's sitting right beside you. If you want to have what you've been dreaming about since you were little, then take her to the Ball, because she'll make all your dreams come true." Arianna smiled, then looked to her mother.

"Mum there's only one thing you have to remember. The spell you'll need to send me back is in a book in the Malfoy Manor library called There and Back Again: A Wizard's Guide to Time Travel. You'll send me on February fourth, at exactly 10:00 at night; you'll get special permission for me to come home from school, and then you'll cast the spell. You, of course, will discover all of this on your own in a letter that you wrote to yourself which I have already placed in a spot where I knows you'll find it in twenty years or so, but mum just wanted to be sure. Don't forget ok?" Arianna smiled and then looked down at herself.

"Oh no, I'm fading. Goodbye…" And with that the girl that would be their daughter faded out right in front of their eyes.

Hermione looked over at Draco. "Well, this is awkward. She's a piece of work huh?"

Draco however, was in a state of shock. Could he really fall in love with Hermione? Get his happily ever after? Be happy for once in his life? Arianna had told him it wasn't only possible, but that it would happen. He just had to take Hermione to the Ball.

"Gr-er-Hermione. Would you do me the honour of going to the Valentine's Day Ball?"

Hermione smiled. "You know, when she walked up to me today and said she was my daughter, I didn't even question it. But I never thought you'd do the same. I'd love to go with you Draco. Maybe what she said might actually happen."

"I hope so. I'd be proud to call her my daughter."

"I already am."

"D'you really think we'll end up married with three kids Granger?"

Hermione laughed. "Three! Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I can't believe I would actually send my own daughter into the past though. You must have a bad effect on me."

"Well you probably knew we'd just need a little push."

"A little push," Hermione said distractedly, "I guess so…"

And that is the story of how Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger came to be married. With a little help from fate, and their eldest daughter, they both came to know true happiness is possible with just a little push.


End file.
